# I will never use Travelocity again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 16, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556 "2020-03-16T00:48:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/1 "2020-03-16T00:48:10Z")
I know airlines and whatnot are busy, but oh my God. I was to fly to California on the 19th; obviously that is a high risk move now. So I figured I’d ask to change it - I don’t want a refund, I just figure I’ll kick it out a few months. 1. They have no way to do this online. The hyperlink to change a reservation is - I am not making this up - just a link to their book-a-flight website and the instruction “when you find a different flight, call us.” 2. They have pretty clearly given up on answering the phone. If you can even get on hold, apparently you’re kept on hold for eight hours, then disconnected. They DO have lots of operators available to sell you entirely new flights. I tried that option. Very low hold times there, but those folks claim to be unable to change a flight. No, in case you wondered; I cannot change it through the airline. They insist I do so with Travelocity. What was I thinking? Why did I use them? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/2 "2020-03-16T01:15:28Z")
To save money? I have a flight in April which I am still hoping to be able to take. But I made the reservation with the airline directly. It seems to me (based on some experience, if not scientific research) that you can use the travel sites to research prices and schedules, and that you can then make your reservation directly with the airline and get the same price if you act immediately. I’ve been getting texts from Expedia who I used for hotels on this trip, and they have been pro-active as well as acknowledging that their phone lines are overwhelmed, offering other methods of changing reservations. So not all travel sites are the same. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/3 "2020-03-16T02:53:43Z")
Yeah, I used Expedia for my flights to/from Peru last fall. A couple days prior to our departure, one of our travel companions on the same itinerary called to say she got an alert from the airline advising that the runway in SFO was still being repaired and to expect delays, and offered to move the departure to a different airport, no fee. Since we were connecting in LAX to Peru, we worried about making the connection. However, we never got the alert. Why? Because the other person booked the flights directly with the airline, not us saps who booked thru Expedia. Calling them was futile, as the OP described, they “could not” change anything, but they could sell us another flight! Called the airline and they said we were SOL since Expedia held the reservation. We were forced to just go with it, and all worked out in the end (we made our connection), but I doubt I will use anything other than the airline to book a flight again. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/4 "2020-03-16T05:13:03Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > So not all travel sites are the same. But a whole lot of them are owned by the same company ([Expedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia_Group)). Which means if you use another service out of spite there’s a decent chance you actually still using Expedia.:smack: Priceline is separate. But man, have their prices been sucking lately. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/5 "2020-03-16T05:32:20Z")
Just as a point of information… My sister called her travel agent last week to cancel a cruise they had booked for September or October. The agent said ‘my world is crumbling’. I imagine it is true for everything travel related right now. It is going to be a cluster fuck for a good while. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/6 "2020-03-16T06:12:11Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > It seems to me (based on some experience, if not scientific research) that you can use the travel sites to research prices and schedules, and that you can then make your reservation directly with the airline and get the same price if you act immediately. This is exactly what I’ve been doing for the last few years. I use the aggregator sites to find the best prices and flights, and then go straight to the airline website. The flights have, in my experience, always been available at exactly the same prices as the aggregator sites, with the added advantage that you can contact the airline if you have problems. Sorry for your problems, **RickJay**. Hope it works out. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/7 "2020-03-16T09:30:54Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just as a point of information… My sister called her travel agent last week to cancel a cruise they had booked for September or October. The agent said ‘my world is crumbling’. I imagine it is true for everything travel related right now. It is going to be a cluster fuck for a good while. Yep, we were up at 1:30 am yesterday trying to rebook a flight directly with United so we could clear Customs at IAH (where no European flights were arriving) rather than at O’Hare (which was a giant clusterfuck). We finally managed via United’s app, but nobody ever answered the phone - we were on hold for well over an our. The app kept crashing and logging me out, and when it did work at all, was agonizingly slow. I was close to just jumping in a taxi and going to the airport in person. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/8 "2020-03-16T09:37:36Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Just as a point of information… My sister called her travel agent last week to cancel a cruise they had booked for September or October. The agent said ‘my world is crumbling’. I imagine it is true for everything travel related right now. It is going to be a cluster fuck for a good while. Has it affected prices at all? It doesn’t seem like it to me. We were planning a vacation in late May or early-mid June. None of the packages have come down in price at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/9 "2020-03-16T14:00:41Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Has it affected prices at all? It doesn’t seem like it to me. > > We were planning a vacation in late May or early-mid June. None of the packages have come down in price at all. That I don’t know. The trip had been booked before the whole covid-19 thing blew up. I think that if prices have not dropped it is because of an unrealistic hope that things are going to get back to normal very soon. It does seem that reality is setting in for [airlines](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-airlines/airlines-seek-emergency-aid-as-coronavirus-brings-industry-to-near-halt-idUSKBN2131L8) as they resort to their old business model of asking the government to bail them out. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/10 "2020-03-16T15:57:18Z")
I just got the below email from Expedia. > [@Tucker](#): > > \*Dear Traveler, > At Expedia, we believe in the power of travel: to create joy, to bring people together, to enrich our hearts and minds. With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) now declared a global pandemic, we cannot help but think of all those we know and care about around the world, including you, whom we have had the privilege to serve. So I wanted to contact you personally to share more about what we are doing. > > **Staying Informed and Healthy** > First and foremost, we care about everyone’s safety, and are closely monitoring the situation and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as our travel partners, to ensure we are giving you the most up-to-date information possible. Because the situation and policies vary by location, we encourage everyone to stay informed and follow the recommendations of your local health authorities. > No matter where you live, and whether you are traveling or not, it’s worth our repeating the WHO’s advice for protecting yourself and others: Wash your hands frequently with soap and/or alcohol-based sanitizers; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; cover your mouth or nose when you sneeze or cough; and maintain distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Of course, if you have a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing yourself, seek medical attention. > > **Helping Our Customers** > **For those traveling now and with upcoming travel bookings, our teams are working around the clock to provide everyone the support they need. We are rapidly increasing the availability of travel advisors, enhancing our self-service options, and developing new automated ways for travelers to better manage their reservations. Our focus is helping travelers with immediate trips, and these improvements will allow all our customers to travel more confidently in the future.** > > **Recommending Flexible Options** > If you are planning new travel, we strongly encourage you to book options with built-in flexibility like free cancellation and changes. Look for the updated messaging regarding these options and other choices on our site and mobile app. > > We recognize that these are uncertain times. At Expedia one thing we know is that for people and communities around the globe, travel is a force for good. Whenever you are ready to travel again, please know that we are ready to serve you. > Tucker > Tucker Moodey > President, Expedia\* They’re working on it for you (highlighted). I also like the last paragraph about suggesting one should book options with cancel/change flexibility; don’t those usually cost more? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/11 "2020-03-16T18:58:38Z")
Well, that’s Expedia. I do not get the sense the Travelocity team has been expanded. I did manage to at least get on hold last night around 11. After three hours on hold, they simply hung up. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/12 "2020-03-16T19:14:59Z")
Ahhh, they’re 2020’s-style “Death Delays”. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/13 "2020-03-16T19:31:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, that’s Expedia. I do not get the sense the Travelocity team has been expanded. > > I did manage to at least get on hold last night around 11. After three hours on hold, they simply hung up. I had a trip to San Diego booked for the end of the month. I had booked one flight with Aeroplan points, one with CIBC Aventura Rewards points, and the hotel with BMO Rewards points. The Aeroplan flight was cancelled on their web site with a few clicks. $0 cancellation fee, the points were back in my account in 60 seconds. CIBC Rewards can’t be cancelled online, they are not answering phones at all, but they have a special email address setup. I emailed them and received a canned response, hopefully they will get it sorted out in time. BMO Rewards is answering, but lots of busy signals first. After getting through, pressing numbers, entering my card number, and waiting again I receive a message about a technical error. Emailing gets an auto response followed by an email 3 days later basically saying they are dealing with other issues first and email again after the 21st. Given that I contacted them 2 days before the cancellation deadline and we are now into credit territory rather than a refund, I’m not sure what I will end up. All in all, I would avoid booking through a third-party when it is so much easier dealing with the airline direct. It’s not often that I give credit to how well Air Canada/Aeroplan are handling something! ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/14 "2020-03-16T19:45:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, that’s Expedia. I do not get the sense the Travelocity team has been expanded. Expedia has owned Travelocity for a little over five years. Don’t know if they’re treated as separate business units or just separate websites on the front end & it’s all one call center on the backend, though. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/15 "2020-03-16T19:45:22Z")
I have no issues with Travelocity. When an airline canceled my flight just a few days before the flight instead of adding it to my frequent flyer account, two of Travelocity’s customer service representatives worked long and hard to get me a flight for the same travel dates and I got a better deal than the original trip. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/16 "2020-03-16T22:21:19Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > This is exactly what I’ve been doing for the last few years. I use the aggregator sites to find the best prices and flights, and then go straight to the airline website. The flights have, in my experience, always been available at exactly the same prices as the aggregator sites, with the added advantage that you can contact the airline if you have problems. Ditto. Same thing with hotels. I’ve also found that hotels are not at all willing to talk to you if you book through an online travel agent. They always direct you back to them if there are any issues. Add to this the possibility of miscommunication, such as the hotel supposedly having no record of your reservation, or whether or not you have already paid. I see no reason to involve a middleman. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/17 "2020-03-16T22:35:02Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Ditto. > > Same thing with hotels. I’ve also found that hotels are not at all willing to talk to you if you book through an online travel agent. They always direct you back to them if there are any issues. > > Add to this the possibility of miscommunication, such as the hotel supposedly having no record of your reservation, or whether or not you have already paid. I see no reason to involve a middleman. I work at a hotel. The reason we’re not willing to talk to you beyond telling you to contact the third-party booker is that we simply cannot do anything. We cannot cancel your booking with Expedia or whoever - it’s not that it’s against policy, or that we’re not willing to try, it’s that there is no possible way for us to do it. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/18 "2020-03-16T23:46:01Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > I work at a hotel. The reason we’re not willing to talk to you beyond telling you to contact the third-party booker is that we simply cannot do anything. We cannot cancel your booking with Expedia or whoever - it’s not that it’s against policy, or that we’re not willing to try, it’s that there is no possible way for us to do it. Understood. I wasn’t blaming you. I’d just rather talk to you than some faceless drone at Expedia or whatever. After all, you’re the one who actually gives me a room key. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/19 "2020-03-17T00:10:59Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Understood. I wasn’t blaming you. I’d just rather talk to you than some faceless drone at Expedia or whatever. > > After all, you’re the one who actually gives me a room key. 😉 😃 And to their credit, most callers get it. Still, it gets frustrating. You know that there’s a better way, but other people don’t know that. It like, I suppose, a touch-typist watching someone hunt-and-peck. You know the pecker is doing the best s/he can, but it really grates to watch them do it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556/20 "2020-03-17T01:05:07Z")
> [@robby](#): > > I’ve also found that hotels are not at all willing to talk to you if you book through an online travel agent. They always direct you back to them if there are any issues… I learned my lesson when I got a cheap flight and hotel in London. My friends changed their plans and moved to a better hotel a ways away. I tried to change, but couldn’t, so stayed where I was… but the real pain came when I got told I didn’t get the huge breakfast buffet \*that every other guest got, \*because I’d booked through Priceline. I still console myself with the pittance I paid. I mean, 800 USD for flight from Chicago and four nights near the Victoria & Albert… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-will-never-use-travelocity-again/849556.md?page=2)